Plyometric training is the bridge between strength and speed. An athlete can develop exceptional strength in the gym through squats, deadlifts, and presses, but strength alone does not produce the explosive athletic qualities that determine performance in most sports. The ability to rapidly apply that strength in brief, reactive ground contacts, to jump higher, sprint faster, and change direction more explosively, requires the specific neuromuscular adaptations that only plyometric training develops.
This guide covers the complete plyometric exercise toolkit for athletes, organised by movement type and sport application, with a structured programme for building explosive power from the ground up.
Why Plyometrics Matter for Athletes
Athletic performance in virtually every sport is limited not by maximum strength but by the ability to express strength rapidly. The gap between maximum strength and the ability to apply it in the time available during athletic contacts (typically 80 to 300 milliseconds in sprinting and jumping) is closed specifically by plyometric training.
The stretch-shortening cycle:
As covered in the reactive strength index article on this site, athletic movements rely on the stretch-shortening cycle, where a muscle that is actively contracting is rapidly stretched and immediately shortens. This pre-stretch stores elastic energy in the tendons and potentiates the subsequent concentric contraction, allowing greater force in less time than a concentric-only contraction from a static start.
Plyometric exercises specifically develop the efficiency and power of this stretch-shortening cycle, producing adaptations in:
- Tendon stiffness and elastic energy return capacity
- Rate of force development (how quickly maximum force can be produced)
- Neuromuscular coordination and motor unit recruitment speed
- Reactive strength (the ability to generate force during very brief contacts)
These adaptations translate directly to every explosive athletic action: sprint acceleration, maximum velocity running, jumping, cutting, and landing.
Lower Body Plyometric Exercises
Beginner Level
Box Jump
Athletic quality developed: Concentric leg power, landing mechanics, and slow stretch-shortening cycle performance.
How to do it:
- Stand facing a box of 40 to 60 centimetres
- Swing the arms and bend the knees simultaneously
- Drive the arms upward and jump onto the box
- Land softly with both feet, absorbing through the ankles, knees, and hips
- Step down (do not jump down) and repeat
- Complete 3 sets of 5 reps
Sport applications: Foundation plyometric for all sports. Develops the jumping base before progressing to reactive exercises.
Broad Jump
Athletic quality developed: Horizontal explosive power directly relevant to sprint acceleration.
How to do it:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart
- Swing the arms backward and bend the knees
- Drive the arms forward and jump as far forward as possible
- Land softly on both feet with the knees absorbing the landing
- Reset and repeat
- Complete 3 sets of 5 reps with full recovery
Sport applications: Sprint athletes, football, rugby, basketball. The horizontal power development directly transfers to acceleration mechanics.
Hurdle Hop
Athletic quality developed: Bilateral reactive jumping and landing mechanics over a consistent obstacle.
How to do it:
- Set up 4 to 6 hurdles of 30 to 50 centimetres in a line, spaced 1 to 1.5 metres apart
- Jump over each hurdle consecutively with minimal ground contact time
- Land on the balls of both feet and immediately jump to the next hurdle
- Focus on consistent rhythm and minimal contact time between hurdles
- Complete 3 passes through the hurdle series
Sport applications: Track and field, basketball, volleyball, football. Develops the rhythmic reactive jumping pattern relevant to repeated jump demands.
Intermediate Level
Lateral Bound
Athletic quality developed: Lateral explosive power and single-leg landing stability, relevant to direction changes and cutting movements.
How to do it:
- Stand on one leg
- Push off powerfully to the side, covering maximum horizontal distance
- Land on the opposite leg and absorb the landing
- Immediately push off to the other side
- Continue alternating for the prescribed repetitions
- Complete 3 sets of 8 bounds per side
Key cue: The landing on the outside leg should be stable and controlled before the next push-off. A wobbly or collapsed landing indicates insufficient single-leg stability and the load should be reduced.
Sport applications: Basketball, tennis, football, rugby. Lateral bound directly develops the explosive push-off and stable landing mechanics of direction changes.
Single-Leg Box Jump
Athletic quality developed: Unilateral explosive power in the single-leg jumping pattern relevant to most athletic jumps and many sprint contacts.
How to do it:
- Stand on one leg facing a box of 30 to 40 centimetres
- Lower slightly and jump onto the box from one leg
- Land on both feet on the box
- Step down and repeat
- Complete 3 sets of 5 reps per leg
Key cue: This exercise reveals unilateral strength deficits that bilateral box jumps conceal. If one leg struggles significantly more than the other, additional unilateral strength work is needed alongside the plyometric programme.
Depth Jump
Athletic quality developed: Fast stretch-shortening cycle performance and reactive strength. As covered in depth in the depth jumps article on this site.
How to do it:
- Step off a box of 40 to 55 centimetres
- Contact the ground with minimal knee bend
- Immediately jump upward with maximum force
- Minimise contact time
- Complete 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 5 reps
Sport applications: All power and speed sports. The depth jump is the most powerful reactive strength exercise and the primary advanced lower body plyometric.
Pogo Jump
Athletic quality developed: Ankle reactive strength and Achilles tendon stiffness. As covered in the pogo jump exercise article on this site.
How to do it:
- Perform rapid continuous jumps on the balls of the feet
- Keep the knees relatively straight
- Minimise ground contact time
- Complete 3 to 4 sets of 20 reps
Sport applications: Runners, sprint athletes. Pogo jumps are the most specific exercise for developing the ankle spring mechanism relevant to running economy and ground contact time.
Bounding
Athletic quality developed: Horizontal explosive power, sprint-specific push-off mechanics, and flight time.
How to do it:
- Run at a comfortable pace and transition into exaggerated bounding strides
- Push off powerfully from each foot, driving the opposite knee upward
- Aim for maximum height and distance with each bound
- Complete 3 x 40 to 50 metre bounding sequences
Sport applications: Sprint athletes, football, basketball. Bounding is the most sprint-specific plyometric exercise.
Advanced Level
Single-Leg Depth Jump
Athletic quality developed: Unilateral fast SSC performance at the highest available reactive strength demand.
How to do it:
- Step off a box of 30 to 40 centimetres onto one leg
- Contact the ground with minimal knee bend on the landing leg
- Immediately jump upward from the single leg contact
- Complete 3 sets of 4 reps per leg with full recovery
Prerequisites: Solid bilateral depth jump technique, single-leg box jump competency, and RSI above 1.5 bilateral.
Depth Jump to Sprint
Athletic quality developed: The transition from reactive landing to explosive sprint acceleration, directly replicating the mechanics of an explosive first step after a direction change or landing.
How to do it:
- Step off a box of 40 to 50 centimetres
- Contact the ground and immediately accelerate into a maximal 20 to 30 metre sprint
- The sprint should begin within one stride of the landing contact
- Complete 4 to 6 reps with full recovery between each
Sport applications: Field and court sport athletes for whom the explosive first step after a stop is a critical performance quality.
Continuous Lateral Bound
Athletic quality developed: Sustained lateral reactive power, developing the ability to maintain explosive direction changes throughout a game or competition.
How to do it:
- Perform lateral bounds continuously for a prescribed distance or time
- Each landing on the outside leg immediately transitions into the next push-off
- Cover 20 to 30 metres per set
- Complete 3 to 4 sets with full recovery
Reactive Drop Jump With Change of Direction
Athletic quality developed: Reactive strength combined with change-of-direction decision-making, the most sport-specific combination of reactive power and agility.
How to do it:
- Step off a box of 40 to 50 centimetres
- A partner calls a direction (left, right, forward) at the moment of contact
- Immediately accelerate in the called direction
- Complete 4 to 6 reps per direction with full recovery
Upper Body Plyometric Exercises
Upper body plyometrics develop the explosive pushing and pulling power relevant to throwing, striking, tackling, and any sport where the arms generate or transmit force rapidly.
Medicine Ball Chest Pass
Athletic quality developed: Explosive horizontal push power relevant to throwing, tackling, and striking.
How to do it:
- Stand facing a wall or a partner, holding a medicine ball (3 to 5 kilograms) at chest height
- Explosively drive the ball forward against the wall or to the partner
- Catch the rebound or receive the return and immediately re-throw
- Focus on the explosive push and rapid reset
- Complete 3 sets of 8 throws
Sport applications: Rugby, American football, basketball, combat sports.
Medicine Ball Overhead Throw
Athletic quality developed: Explosive vertical push power and core-to-arm power transfer relevant to overhead sports.
How to do it:
- Hold a medicine ball overhead with both hands
- Explosively throw the ball forward and upward against a wall or to a partner
- Catch and immediately re-throw
- Complete 3 sets of 8 throws
Medicine Ball Rotational Throw
Athletic quality developed: Explosive rotational power through the trunk and into the arms, directly relevant to throwing, swinging, and kicking sports.
How to do it:
- Stand sideways to a wall approximately 1 metre away
- Hold a medicine ball at the side furthest from the wall
- Rotate explosively toward the wall and throw the ball against it
- Catch the rebound and immediately re-throw
- Complete 3 sets of 8 throws per side
Sport applications: Baseball, cricket, golf, tennis, martial arts, field sports.
Plyo Push-Up
Athletic quality developed: Upper body explosive pushing power through the stretch-shortening cycle of the chest and triceps.
How to do it:
- Begin in a push-up position
- Lower to the floor explosively
- Immediately push up with maximum force so the hands leave the floor
- Land with the hands and immediately lower into the next rep
- Complete 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps
Progression: Add a clap between the hands during the flight phase. Further progress to elevated push-ups where the hands push from a raised surface.
Box Drop Push-Up
Athletic quality developed: Upper body fast SSC performance, analogous to a depth jump for the upper body.
How to do it:
- Kneel on a raised surface (30 to 40 centimetres) with hands at the edge
- Fall forward off the surface, catching with the hands on the floor
- Immediately perform an explosive push-up
- The contact time between landing and the push-up should be as brief as possible
- Complete 3 sets of 4 to 5 reps
Prerequisite: Ability to perform 10 standard push-ups with good form and clean plyo push-up technique.
Sport-Specific Plyometric Exercise Selection
Sprint and track athletes:
Priority: Maximum velocity fast SSC, horizontal power
Primary exercises: Pogo jumps, single-leg pogo jumps, bounding, depth jumps, depth jump to sprint, sprint-specific drills
Basketball and volleyball:
Priority: Vertical jump height and reactive jumping ability
Primary exercises: Box jumps, depth jumps, single-leg box jumps, hurdle hops, continuous lateral bounds
Football (soccer):
Priority: Sprint acceleration, direction change, repeated sprint ability
Primary exercises: Broad jumps, bounding, lateral bounds, depth jump to sprint, single-leg depth jumps
Rugby and American football:
Priority: Explosive contact power, sprint acceleration, upper body power
Primary exercises: Medicine ball chest pass and rotational throw, broad jumps, depth jumps, lateral bounds
Tennis and racket sports:
Priority: Lateral reactive power, explosive first step, upper body rotational power
Primary exercises: Lateral bounds, reactive depth jumps with change of direction, medicine ball rotational throw, pogo jumps
Combat sports (boxing, MMA, wrestling):
Priority: Explosive multi-directional power, upper body reactivity
Primary exercises: Medicine ball throws (all directions), plyo push-up, lateral bounds, reactive agility exercises
Swimmers:
Priority: Explosive starting power, upper body push power
Primary exercises: Box jumps for start mechanics, medicine ball overhead throw, plyo push-up
Golfers:
Priority: Rotational explosive power
Primary exercises: Medicine ball rotational throw, lateral bound for weight transfer, rotational bounding
A Structured Plyometric Programme for Athletes
This programme follows a 12-week periodisation that takes an athlete from basic plyometric foundations through to advanced reactive exercises.
Phase 1: Foundation (weeks 1 to 4)
Goal: Establish landing mechanics and basic explosive power
Frequency: 2 sessions per week
Session A:
- Box jumps: 3 x 5 (50cm box)
- Broad jumps: 3 x 5
- Medicine ball chest pass: 3 x 8
- Hurdle hops: 3 x 4 hurdles
Session B:
- Lateral bounds: 3 x 6 per side
- Pogo jumps: 3 x 15
- Medicine ball rotational throw: 3 x 8 per side
- Single-leg box jump: 2 x 4 per leg (40cm)
Phase 2: Development (weeks 5 to 8)
Goal: Develop reactive strength and sport-specific power
Frequency: 2 to 3 sessions per week
Session A:
- Depth jumps: 3 x 5 (40 to 50cm)
- Bounding: 3 x 30 metres
- Plyo push-up: 3 x 6
- Pogo jumps: 4 x 20
Session B:
- Single-leg depth jumps: 3 x 4 per leg (30cm)
- Continuous lateral bounds: 3 x 20 metres
- Medicine ball overhead throw: 3 x 8
- Hurdle hops with sprint: 3 x 4 hurdles into 20m sprint
Session C (optional, sport-specific):
- Reactive depth jump with change of direction: 4 x 4 per direction
- Depth jump to sprint: 4 x 20 metres
- Medicine ball rotational throw: 4 x 8 per side
Phase 3: Peak power (weeks 9 to 12)
Goal: Maximum reactive strength and sport-specific power expression
Frequency: 2 sessions per week (reduce volume, maintain intensity)
Session A:
- Depth jumps: 4 x 5 (optimal RSI box height)
- Depth jump to sprint: 4 x 30 metres
- Single-leg pogo jumps: 3 x 15 per leg
- Box drop push-up: 3 x 5
Session B:
- Single-leg depth jumps: 3 x 5 per leg
- Reactive drop jump with change of direction: 4 x 4 per direction
- Medicine ball rotational throw: 4 x 8 per side
- Bounding: 3 x 40 metres
Common Mistakes Athletes Make With Plyometrics
Skipping the strength foundation: Plyometric exercises generate landing forces of 3 to 7 times bodyweight. Athletes who lack the strength to handle these forces safely absorb them with poor mechanics that produce injury rather than adaptation. Building an adequate strength base before introducing high-intensity plyometrics is non-negotiable.
Performing plyometrics under fatigue: Plyometrics performed with significant pre-existing fatigue produce poor mechanics and fail to develop the neuromuscular qualities that make them valuable. Always perform plyometric sessions first in the training day, after only a warm-up.
Excessive volume without adequate recovery: Plyometric adaptations occur during recovery. Performing plyometric sessions too frequently or with too-high volume prevents the connective tissue and neuromuscular adaptations from consolidating. Follow the volume guidelines above and allow 48 to 72 hours between sessions.
Neglecting upper body plyometrics: Most athlete plyometric programmes focus exclusively on lower body exercises. For sports that involve throwing, striking, or upper body force production, upper body plyometrics are equally important.
Not progressing systematically: Jumping immediately to advanced exercises like single-leg depth jumps before mastering bilateral box jumps and depth jumps compromises both the training effect and safety. Follow the phase structure above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times per week should athletes do plyometrics?
During a focused plyometric development phase, 2 to 3 sessions per week with 48 to 72 hours between sessions is optimal. During the competition season, 1 to 2 maintenance sessions per week is sufficient to preserve the reactive strength developed in pre-season. Year-round high-volume plyometric training without periodised phases of reduced load increases connective tissue injury risk.
At what age can athletes start plyometric training?
Plyometric training is appropriate for youth athletes from approximately 12 to 14 years of age when coached with appropriate progressions and volumes. Starting with low-intensity exercises (box jumps, broad jumps, hurdle hops) and progressing gradually is the correct approach. Advanced exercises like depth jumps are appropriate from approximately 15 to 16 years of age when adequate strength foundations are established.
Can plyometrics be done on the same day as strength training?
Yes, but order matters. Plyometrics should always precede strength training in the same session because the neuromuscular freshness required for quality plyometric training is incompatible with post-strength session fatigue. Performing plyometrics after heavy strength work significantly reduces the quality of the reactive training stimulus.
How long does it take to see results from plyometric training?
Most athletes notice subjective improvements in explosiveness and athletic performance within 4 to 6 weeks of consistent plyometric training. Measurable improvements in vertical jump height, sprint time, and RSI typically develop over 6 to 12 weeks of a structured programme. The neuromuscular adaptations develop relatively quickly, while the connective tissue adaptations (tendon stiffness) develop more slowly over months of consistent work.
Do plyometrics build muscle?
Plyometric training produces modest muscle hypertrophy, primarily in the fast-twitch fibres of the gastrocnemius, quadriceps, and glutes. However, the primary adaptation of plyometric training is neuromuscular and tendinous rather than hypertrophic. Athletes looking to build significant muscle mass should prioritise resistance training, with plyometrics as a complement for developing explosive performance qualities.